Snow leopard Mongol fitted with new satellite collar

27 March 2013

The snow leopard was captured by scientists of the Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve and zoologists of the Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution as part of the programme for the study and monitoring of snow leopards in Eastern Siberia.

The GPS-satellite collar was placed on the animal to track its movements using the Argos satellite system. The data will be transmitted from the collar via two channels, to the institute and directly to the research department at the Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve, allowing the scientists to detect snow leopards' spatial organisation and possible migration routes.

Currently, the Sayano-Shushensky Nature Reserve is home to the largest protected group of nine adult snow leopards. During the mating season, the number of these rare wild cats in the reserve grows to 15 animals. Scientists believe that the group has been stable due to the robust security regime created to obtain new scientific knowledge, events promoting environmental consciousness and disseminating information about rare animal species.